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Fiber Optics V - Equipment

Lee Layton, P.E.


Course Outline

This final volume of the five volume series on fiber optic systems covers the equipment and topology of fiber optic systems.  This volume is divided into five chapters.  Chapter one discusses principal properties of an optical sources, the optical emission properties of semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs).  Chapter two reviews the equipment used to convert electrical signals into optical signals and inject the signal into a fiber.

Chapter three then discusses optical detectors such as PIN diodes.  Chapter four then covers the application of optical detectors, amplifiers, and other circuitry to the design of optical receivers that convert the optical signals back into an electrical signal.

The final chapter in this volume reviews the topologies of fiber optic networks, including point-to-point and ring systems.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:

Intended Audience

This course is intended for electrical engineers and others who want to learn more about fiber optic cables.

Benefit to Attendees

Fiber optic cables are becoming the backbone for all ground-based communications in the world.  This course will give you a thorough understanding of fiber optic signals are transmitted and received including the topologies used in fiber optic systems.

Course Introduction

This is final volume in a five volume series on fiber optics systems.  This volume is concerned with the transmitters, receivers, and the topography of fiber optic systems.

This course discusses the equipment used in fiber optic systems.  Equipment refers to the principal properties of an optical source and fiber optic transmitters, the optical emission properties of semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), and explains the operational differences between surface-emitting LEDs, edge-emitting LEDs, superluminescent diodes, and laser diodes.

Next, fiber optic receivers are discussed.  A fiber optic receiver consists of an optical detector, an amplifier, and other circuitry. In most fiber optic systems, the optical detector is a PIN photodiode.  Receiver performance varies depending on the type of detector used. The amplifier is generally described as having two stages: the pre-amplifier and the post-amplifier. The pre-amplifier is defined as the first stage of amplification following the optical detector. The post-amplifier is defined as the remaining stages of amplification required to raise the detector's electrical signal to a level suitable for further signal processing.

The final chapter in this volume reviews the topologies of fiber optic networks.  Most of our discussion up to this point has referred to simple point-to-point links. A point-to-point fiber optic data link consists of an optical transmitter, optical fiber, and an optical receiver.  In essence, all fiber optic systems are simply sets of point-to-point fiber optic links. Different system topologies arise from the different ways that point-to-point fiber optic links can be connected between equipments. The term topology refers to the configuration of various equipments and the fiber optic components interconnecting them. This equipment may be computers, workstations, consoles, or other equipments. Point-to-point links are connected to produce systems with linear bus, ring, star, or tree topologies. Point-to-point fiber optic links are the basic building block of all fiber optic systems.

Course Content

This course content is in the following PDF document:

Fiber Optics V - Equipment

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Course Summary

This series has covered fiber optic systems including the physics of light transmission, cable design and manufacturing, testing, and the equipment used to inject and receive signals.  This final volume has dealt with fiber optic transmitters, receivers, and the topology of fiber optic systems. 

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.